Apparatus for separating dust and foreign matter from air.



c.-e. FAHRNEY. TING DUST AND FOREIGN MA APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, I911.

TTER FROM AIR.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARA m Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

anion,

CALLO D. FAHRN'EY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DUST AND FOREIGN MATTER FROM AIR.

Application filed November 27, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALLo D. FAHRNEY, of the city of Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee and-State of Wisconsin, have in vented a new anduseful Improvement in Apparatus for Separatin Dust and Foreign Matterfrom Air, of which the following is a specification.

My invention involms the use and employment, combined with certain otherfeatures anddevices of an auxiliary nature, of a vertically disposeddrum or so-called cyclone chamber, in which the air, laden with dust andother matter carried by it, is caused to assume a whirling or gyratingmotion, whereby the dust and foreign matter are driven by centrifugalforce against the peripheral wall thereof and conducted into acommunicating receiving chamber, leaving the purified air to pass beyondthe limits of the separating and collecting apparatus, and

is designed primarily to be disposed within a suction line and to beoperated under suction by a current of air superinduced by a suctionproducing agent disposed beyond 3 the confines of the separating andcollecting device, and communicating therewith by means of one or moresuction conduits.

By the employment of my invention as herein described and set forth, Iam enabled to pass all, or in any event the major portion, of the airthrough the separating device, either on a small or large scale andeither at moderate or high speed, and still accomplish the desiredresult of effective separation without any resistance whatever to theair current except that incident to its passage through the cyclonechamber,

which is found to be unimportant.

Another feature of my present invention consists in the adaptation ofmeans for removing or trapping out the separated and collected matterfrom a separating apparatus operating under suction, without interrupting the continuous flow of air through the same and withoutinterfering with the separating function.

Proceeding now to describe my invention with respect to the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 thereof represents a sectional elevation of aseparator and collector and, trapping-out apparatus embodying thefeatures of my improved device. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section in line 00w, Flg. 1, looking Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. Jl, 1916. Serial No. 662,728.

in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation showing a modified construction of the bottom chamberindicated by 20 in Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

1 represents the peripheral wall or casing of the cylinder or upper bodyportion of the vertically disposed drum or separating chamber, whichchamber is hereinafter mentioned as the cyclone chamber, the same beingmade circular in cross-section and enlarging slightly from its topdownward, with a tapering or cone shaped lower extremity, of whichlatter 2 represents the peripheral wall and 3 an open mouth in thebottom of the said chamber.

a represents the head or top casing of the cyclone chamber, having around central opening therein.

5 represents the wall or casing of a vertically disposed annular shieldprojecting downward into the said chamber from the rim of the centralopening in the said upper chamber head 4:, to which latter the saidshield is attached at its top by means of the flanged portion 6.

represents a spout or suction conduit with its adjacent end expandingand communicating with the central opening in the top. head 4 of thecyclone chamber and to which it is fastened by means of the flangedportion 8, the shield with wall 5, projecting downward into the cyclonechamber forming in effect an extension of the said spout or suctionconduit 7. In the construction shown, the conduit 7 at its opposite endterminates in an enlarged portion indicated by 7 which latter in turncommunicates with the central intake opening of the exhaust fan 9.

10 represents an inlet duct communicating with and entering the cylinderor upper body portion of the cyclone chamber near its top laterally andat a tangent. 11 represents a sub-chamber or receiving chamber disposedunderneath the cyclone chamber and communicating therewith, in theconstruction shown, by means of the open mouth, 3, in the bottom of thesaid cyclone chamber. The said receiving chamber is shown circular incross-section with itscasing, l2, converging at the top to meet thecasing of the cyclone chamber, to which latter it is fastened by meansof the flange 13. The casing 12 of the said receiving chamber alsoconverges from the body portion thereof downward forming a hopper ortapering lower extremity, with a gate-controlled opening, 14, initsbottom, 15 representing a blast-gate connected with the cas ing 12thereof, and 15*, a slide operating to open and close the saidblast-gate.

16 represents an auxiliary discharge spout or suction conduit, one endof which communicates with the said receiving chamber 11 and is attachedto the casing 12 of the latter at a pointnear the top of the saidchamber. The opposite end of the auxiliary suction conduit-16 forms ajunction with the main suction conduit 7 the two terminating in theenlarged conduit 7*, which latter in turn communicates with the suctionproducing agent 9.

In the construction shown. the tapering lower extremity of the cyclonechamber projects downward into the upper central portion of thereceiving chamber 11, leaving an annular space between the casing of thesaid receiving chamber and the cone of the cyclone chamber. Within thisspace is shown the disposition of a disk-shaped dust-cloth or screen 17,having a hole in its center adapted to slip over the lower end of the acyclone chamber, to which latter it is fastened by means of a flangedring 18. The outer edge of the said dust cloth or screen 17 is attachedto the casing 12 of the receiving chamber 11, by means of the flangedring 19,

' the point of engagement of the latter with the casing 12 of thereceiving chamber 11 being below the point where the auxiliary suctionconduit 16 communicates with the said chamber, for reasons'presentlypointed out. This dust-cloth or screen may be attached in a mannerrendering it easily removed or renewed.

20 represents another chamber disposed underneath the receiving chamber11, and communicating therewith by means of the gate-controlled opening14, in the bottom of the said chamber 11. In Fig. 1, the chamber 20 isshown rectangular in cross-section, 20, 20 and 20 representing theexposed vertical side walls thereof, respectively.

21 represents a door disposed in one of the vertical side walls of thechamber 20,'to permit of the removal of separated and accumulated mattertherefrom.

22 represents a bag which may be'disposed and suspended within thechamber 20 with the mouth of the bag open to the gate-con- 1 trolledopening 14:, which opening forms a means of communication between thechamber 20 and the so-called receiving chamber 11 disposed above it.When the bag 22 is so adjusted. the blast gate 15, controlling theopening 14 may be opened to. permit the matter accumulated in the bottomof the 20 to permit the attendant to see when the bag 22 is full, or incase no bag or other receptacle is used, to see when the chamber itselfis full of accumulated matter.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified construction of a bottom chamber 20 asshown in Fig. 1,

the same being indicated in Fig. 3 as 20 and having a gate controlledopening in its bottom, to permit of the removal or dumping of its.contents. In Fig. 3 the chamber indicated by 20 is made circular incross section with a tapering lower extremity, 24 representing a blastgate attached to the casing of the same at the bottom and 24representing a slide operating to open and close the said blast-gate. InFig. 3, 23 represents a window disposed in the casing of the chamber 20.

25 represents a deflector in the form of a spiral disposed within thelower tapering portion of the cyclone chamber and attached to the'casingthereof, to conduct gyrating matter impinging against the peripheralwall of the cyclone chamber down into the communicating receivingchamber below.

26 is a hood preferably of open spiral construction disposed over theintake mouth of the shield with casing 5 which projects In operation,power being first transmitted A to the fan wheel of the exhaust fan 9shown,

a current of air is created in both of the suction conduits 7 and 16 inthe direction of the fan, as indicated by the arrows. The main conduit 7takes its supply of air from the.

cyclone chamber through the central shielded opening in the top thereof,and the auxiliary suction conduit 16 takes its supply of air also fromthe cyclone chamber but through the open mouth 3 in the bottom thereof,and

through the medium of the receiving cham-- ber 11, which latter forms anair tight connection or air passage between the said conduit 16 and thesaid mouth in the bottom of the cyclone chamber, the gate controlledopening 14: in the bottom of the chamber 11 being first closed. Thesuction-producing agent thus acting upon the interior of the cyclonechamber tends to create a vacuum within the said chamber and in thecommunicating receiving chamber underneath, with the result that air iscaused to flow intothe cyclone chamber through the inlet duct, 10, whichcommunicates with the cy clone chamber laterally and tangently near 5mass is,

its top. As soon as the current of air entering the cyclone chamberthrough the inlet duct 10 attains a reasonable velocity its inertialtendency causes it to follow the peripheral wall of the said chamberwith the result that all the air contained within the cyclone chamberand while passing through it takes on a whirling or gyrating motion, thespeed of which increases according to the suction exerted by the suctionproducing agent and the corresponding velocity with which the air entersthe cyclone chamber through the said inlet duct 10, due respect beinghad, of course, to'relative dimensions and proportions of the wholeapparatus.

Foreign matter or articles carried by the air and projected togetherwith it into the cyclone chamber through the inlet duct 10 also tend toseek the peripheral wall of the cyclone chamber and to impinge againstit through centrifugal force until carried by gravity and the action ofthe air down into the communicating receiving chamber 11, disposedunderneath, the spiral defiector,-25, expediting the operation undercertain conditions and construction of the lower conical portion idlywhirling motion of the air within the cyclone chamber at the same timetends to cause dust and light matter to seek the casing of the saidchamber, with the result ing chamber and thence to that the air drawnout by suction through the shielded opening in the top of the cyclonechamber from the core of the whirling for all practical purposes,purified, all foreign matter, including dust, having been separatedtherefrom by centrifugal force alone.

The opening in the top of the cyclone chamber may be of equal, or evengreater area than that of the inlet duct 10 with a correspondingly largesuction conduit leading from the said opening to the suction pro ducingagent, and all the air passing into and through. the cyclone chamber maybe carried to the suction producing agent via that means alone,dispensing with the auxiliary conduit-16 entirely, but in order to carrydust and light matter from the cyclone chamber down-into thecommunicating receiving chamber and in order to minimize thelength ofthe cyclone chamber, it-is found advantageous to apply suction to theopenings in both ends of the cyclone chamber and to thus causea-predetermined portion of the airto pass, together'with dust andforeign matter down into the communicating receivthe suctlon pro- In theconstruction shown, that portion of the air which is caused to pass downfrom.

, the cyclone chamber into the communicating receiving chamber 11is'removed from the latter by means of the auxiliary suction conduit 16,this portion of the air first passing of the cyclone chamber. The rap-'through the dust cloth or screen 17, disposed within its path in thechamber 11 to prevent dust and floating particles of matter from beingcarried out of the said chamber by the suction. Where only coarse ormoist matter is hal dled this dust cloth or screen may be dispensedwith, and again by sufficient enlargement of the receiving chamber 11,to permit dust and floating matter to settle, it might not be required,but in practice it is found necessary at most to take but a smallpercentage of the air down through the bottom opening of the cyclonechamber to accomplish the purpose of carrying dust and light matter downinto the communicatlocity. The-dust cloth 17 may therefore be disposedwith its outer edge elevated, as shown. The dust and flying particles ofmatter following the movement of the air in this chamber, tend to seekthe peripheral wall of this closure the same as in the cyclone chamber,with the result that the dust cloth is kept free from contact with dustand foreign matter by reason of the position shown.

Describing in further detail the method of trapping out and removing theseparated matter from the apparatus while operating continuously undersuction and without interrupting the flow of air through the separatingor cyclone chamber, ordinarily the gate controlled opening 14, in thebottom of the receiving chamber 11 would be left open to permit theseparated matter as it comes from the bottom opening of the cyclonechamber to drop down through the receiving chamber 11 into the bottomchamber 20, or into a bag or other receptacle disposed therein. Thenwhen the chamber 20, or the receptacle placed therein, is full the gatecontrolled opening 14 connecting the two lower chambers, is closed bymeans of a blast gate 15 and the slide 15 operating therein. This causesthe separated matter coming from the cyclone chamber to accumulatetemporarily in thebottom of the receiving chamber 11, while theaccumulated matter is being removed from the chamber 20 through the door21 disposed in the side thereof as shown by the construction in Fig. 1,or by means of opening the blast gate in the bottom of chamber 20 in themodified constriction shown in Fig. 3. When the chamber 20 has beenemptied and its egress opening closed and it is again ready to receive anew supply of the separated matter from above the blast gate in thebottom of the chamber 11 may again be opened and left open until thebottom receptacle is full.

The bag 22 employed in combination with the form of construction shownin Fig. 1 is a convenient method for removing and handling the separatedmatter and an important feature of my invention consists in theadaptation of means for depositing matter as it comes from a separatoroperating under suction into bags or other suitable receptaclesautomatically, and without permitting any dust to escape, whichdesirable result may be accomplished both by the construction shown inFig. l, by inserting the bag or other receptacle in the bottom chamberitself, while in the modified construction of the lower chamber shown inFig. 3

the matter may be dropped into a bag or other receptacle attached ordisposed beneath the gate controlled opening in the bottom of thechamber indicated 20.

I claim:

1. A. separator and dust collector comprising a vertically disposedcylindrical chamber with tangential inlet; outletopenings in the top andbottom thereof with a flange projecting downwardly from the rim of thetop opening and a spirally constructed hood disposed over the mouth ofthe said flanged top opening to permit the escape of the whirling airwithout resistance and at the same time screening it.

2., A separator and dust collector comprising a vertically disposedcylindrical chamber having a tangential inlet with outlet openings inthe top and bottom thereof; a cylindrical chamber disposed underneaththe aforesaid chamber and partly enveloping its lower portion to receivea portion of the air from the said above chamber in whirl and to purifythat portion by centrifugal action; an outlet opening for the air in thesaid lower chamber inthe upper portion of its casing and a refusechamber disposed underneath the said secondary chamber and connectedtherewith by a gatecontrolled passage.

3. A separator and dust-collector comprising a vertically disposedcylindrical chamber having a tangential inlet with outlet openings inthe top and bottom thereof; a secondary cylindrical separating chamberdisposed underneath the first mentioned chamber and enveloping its lowerportion to receive a portion of the air in whirl from same; air outletmeans in the upper portion of the casing of the said lower chamber; arefuse chamber with gate-controlled opening disposed under the saidsecondary chamber and suction means in communication with the top outletopening of the upper chamber and also with the said air outlet of thesecondary separating chamber.

HERMAN H. SoHMrr'r, ARTHUR F. SEYFERTH.

